Featherweights

Merlins are the UK's smallest bird of prey. The female is a bit bigger than the male, being about the size of a mistle thrush. They punch well above their weight as here where a merlin takes on a red kite, despite being dwarfed by it. The merlins are nesting beside the hen harriers - they both benefit from this. The merlin chases away predators that might bother the harrier and in turn can catch the prey that the bigger bird flushes out but doesn't catch. Simon shows some old film from a series he filmed some years ago, Trials of Life. It shows a merlin chasing a still vibrantly singing skylark.